Annual Virtual Seminar for Employers

Friday, January 30, 2026
Friday, February 27, 2026

Covering Employment Legal Essentials and New Workplace Laws

Secure your spot today at our virtual seminar. We will cover the new California employment laws and provide a firm foundation for the new year.

The all-day session includes, among much more:

• Hiring process, including applications, interviews, and testing;
• Discipline and termination;
• The essentials of written employment agreements, including restrictions on mandatory arbitration;
• Discrimination, harassment and retaliation prevention and handling;
• Proper compensation, paid leave and other policy issues; and
• Criteria for classifying independent contractors.

The session is a must for all business owners, executives and personnel management staff for confident hiring and stable business expansion.

We emphasize practical application with attendees encouraged to seek guidance on their particular legal challenges or concerns.

Electronic samples of our 2026 updated model employee handbook, policies and forms are included.

From past attendees:

“This seminar is a great service to our community and the employers of this state! I look forward to attending more of them. I feel better prepared to confront what it will take to put a lawful workplace into existence. Thank you, Tim, and your staff, for this great service and the useful materials you provide.” – CR

“The webinar with Tim and Cindy was extremely informative and provided knowledge that was key to operating my business. I enjoyed the presentation and all of the accompanying materials. I’m sure to recommend the Law Offices of Timothy Bowles to any business with employment law needs. The professionalism of the attorneys and their ability to present the complexity of California employment law to all attendees was exceptional!” – TT

“This has been an INVALUABLE service! Tim Bowles and staff have put together the materials and the counseling (in terms of live response to questions) that gives us the data necessary to be compliant with both the state and federal government. Worth very much more than the cost. My team and I can’t thank you all enough for your superior product!” TS

Choose from:

Friday, January 30, 2026, 9:30 – 4:30pm (break midway)

Friday, February 27, 2026, 9:30 – 4:30pm (break midway)

Pricing: $200 first company attendee; $175 for each additional person attending

DON’T WAIT!

Contact Aimee Rosales to reserve your space.
Email: officemgr@tbowleslaw.com; phone 626.583.6600.

officemgr@tbowleslaw.com

Pasadena's Best, Again!

Seventh win in a row!  Pasadena Weekly once again acknowledges us as the best firm in town.  Thanks to everyone who voted and supported us. We continue to provide management trustworthy guidance through the rocks and shoals of California employment law.

Again, thanks.

Tim, Cindy, Helena and staff
November 14, 2025

Best of Pasadena winners seven years in a row.

Compensation Protections Across All Pay Types

Effective January 1, 2026, Senate Bill (SB) 642 expands California's equal pay and pay-scale disclosure laws, strengthening pay-equity protections and transparency requirements.

California's Equal Pay Act prohibits paying employees less for substantially similar work based on sex, race, or ethnicity. The state's complementing Pay Transparency Law, effective 2023, requires employers with 15 or more on payroll to include pay ranges in job postings and bars the use of salary history in setting pay.

SB 642 revises both laws to increase compliance and enforcement requirements:

For all employers:

• Wages now include all forms of compensation, such as salary, overtime, bonuses, stock options, benefits, allowances, insurance, and expense reimbursements;
• Previously limited to two years (three if willful), recovery now extends to maximum six years compensation, with each unequal paycheck restarting the three-year statute of limitations filing period; and
• The term "sex" now covers all genders, including nonbinary and gender-nonconforming employees.

For employers with 15 or more on payroll:

• Pay scale must reflect a good-faith range the employer reasonably expects to pay at hire; and
• Employers must include that pay scale in job postings and provide it to employees upon request.

Take-Aways:

Employers should ● confirm job posting pay ranges reflect actual hiring practices; ● regularly audit total compensation (including bonuses and benefits) for consistency and equity; ● train managers and hiring teams on the updated definitions and the salary-history ban; and ● continue to keep job title and wage-rate records for the duration of employment plus three years.

For further assistance, please contact Tim Bowles, Cindy Bamforth or Helena Kobrin

See also:

• Equal Pay Reporting - Substantial Penalties for Ignoring the May 14, 2025 Deadline(April 17, 2025)
• Employer's Mandatory Show & Tell: New State Guidance on Pay Rate Transparency (January 13, 2023)
• For the Record: Sound Management Practices for Personnel Documentation (August 14, 2020)

Cindy Bamforth
November 7, 2025

Employee Rights Expanded

Under Labor Code 1198.5, former and current employees have had the right once a year to inspect and receive copies of their personnel records relating to performance and grievances.

SB 513, effective January 1, 2026, expands access to include education and training documentation, to include:

(A) The employee's name.

(B) The training provider's name.

(C) The date and duration of the training.

(D) The core competencies of the training, including software or equipment skills

(E) Any resulting certification or qualification.

Employers must retain such records for a minimum of three years and respond to requests for inspection or copies within 30 days, with the option to extend to 35 days. Management may verify the identity of a records requester.

The statute also identifies records exempt from the production requirement, including potential criminal offense investigations, reference letters, certain ratings and others.

Failing to provide such records by the due date can subject the employer to a $750 penalty.

Take-Aways:

On receipt of a worker's records request, management should promptly consult with a qualified attorney to ensure correct and timely compliance.

For further assistance, please contact one of our attorneys, Tim Bowles, Cindy Bamforth or Helena Kobrin.

See also:

• 2026, Fresh Year Near - Annual Virtual Seminar for Employers
• Avoiding Access Distress: California's Employee Records Disclosure Requirements(June 3, 2022)
• Payroll Record-Keeping 101 (May 11, 2016)

Helena Kobrin
November 7, 2025

New Law Limits Employee Repayment Agreements

Starting January 1, 2026, California's Assembly Bill (AB) 692 prohibits employers from requiring that employees pay money back simply because they quit or are fired. The law strengthens the state's long-standing rule that protects employees' right to change jobs freely.

What's Changing:

Some employers have used "stay-or-pay" agreements, i.e., contracts that give workers a bonus, training, or tuition help on the condition that they repay those costs if they leave before a set date. For example, an employer pays $2,000 for graduate school and requires the employee to repay it if they resign within a year.

With limited exceptions, any such repayment term will be void, and employers who use them could owe actual damages or $5,000 per affected employee (whichever is more), and injunctive relief and attorneys' fees.

What's Now Banned:

Employers cannot require or enforce agreements that:

• Require employees to repay money, training costs, or debt after leaving a job;
• Speed up loan repayment or end a grace period when employment ends; or
• Impose any fee, cost, or penalty for resigning or being fired.

These rules cover anyone working in California, no matter where the contract was signed or which state's law it cites.

Limited Exceptions:

Employers can't charge workers for leaving a job unless the agreement falls under one of a few narrow exceptions -- most commonly, these two:

1. Educational or Training Programs

The program must lead to a transferable credential (like a license or certificate) and:

• The agreement is separate from the employment contract;
• Costs are fairly prorated (for example, the amount owed decreases as time passes); and
• Repayment applies only if the employee is fired for misconduct.

1. Retention Bonuses

Employers can still offer bonuses tied to staying with the company if:

• The employer and employee sign a stand-alone agreement;

• The employee has at least five business days to review it and seek legal advice;

• Repayment is interest-free, prorated (no longer than two years), and deferred until the end of the retention period; and

• Repayment applies only if the employee resigns voluntarily or is fired for misconduct.

Take-Aways:

Employers don't need to change existing contracts, but they should use the rest of 2025 to review and remove any unenforceable "stay-or-pay" or repayment terms to ensure that all agreements made or updated on or after January 1, 2026, comply with AB 692.

For further information, please contact Tim Bowles, Cindy Bamforth or Helena Kobrin.

See also:

• Sweat The Details - Friendly Workplace Practices Audits Before PAGA Comes Calling (January 24, 2025)
• All Aboard Wage Obligations to New Hires (April 11, 2025)
• Employee Training Programs (March 29, 2011)

Cindy Bamforth
October 31, 2025

Paid Voting Time Off Requirements

A California employee unable to vote in a statewide election outside of work hours is entitled to voting time off at either the beginning or end of shift. Upon receiving a voting receipt from the employee, the company must pay for up to two hours of that voting time.

If the employee knew the need for time off up to three days before the election date, he/she must provide management notice at least two days prior to that date.

Employers must post a notice of these voting rights at least ten days before an election date. The Secretary of State website provides a template in several languages.

Take-Aways:

With the upcoming November 4 election, employers must post that voting rights notice by tomorrow, October 25.

For further assistance, please contact one of our attorneys, Tim Bowles, Cindy Bamforth or Helena Kobrin.

See also:

• Collaboration Foundation: Workplace Policy Handbook & Forms for 2025(July 25, 2025)
• Grin and Bear It: Political Views in the Workplace (July 12, 2024)
• Work Time Off for Voting (June 7, 2024)

Helena Kobrin
October 24, 2025

"Workplace Know Your Rights Act"
Response to Federal Raids

Beginning February 1, 2026, all California employers must provide each worker an annual, stand-alone notice summarizing key labor protections and constitutional rights.  While commercially available "poster sets" of various workplace laws have been common, these incoming Labor Code sections aim to standardize and, in the face of growing Homeland Security aggression, expand the scope of such notices.

"Provide" means individual distribution (including to new hires and any authorized union rep).  Employers may use any ordinary channel (personal service, email, text) reasonably expected to reach the employee within one business day. Management must retain compliance records for three years.

At minimum, the notice must describe: (1) workers' compensation rights; (2) the right to receive notice of immigration-agency inspections and protection against unfair immigration-related practices; (3) the right to organize or engage in concerted activity; (4) employees' constitutional rights when interacting with law enforcement at work (e.g., freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures and the Fifth Amendment rights to due process and against self-incrimination); plus a list of enforcement agencies and any new legal developments the Labor Commissioner deems material.

The Labor Commissioner must post a template notice by Jan. 1, 2026, updated annually, and make it available in multiple languages (including English, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Korean, Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi). The Labor Commissioner must publish employee and employer explainer videos by July 1, 2026. Employers may also share or link the videos when distributing the written notice.

If an employee opts in, the employer must notify the worker's designated emergency contact if the employee is arrested or detained on the worksite; if the incident happens off-site during work hours or job duties, notice is required only if the employer has actual knowledge. Employers must give existing employees the chance to designate a contact by March 30, 2026, and collect this information from new hires after that.

The law has teeth.  Management may not retaliate against an employee for exercising rights under the Act or assisting an investigation into violations. The Labor Commissioner can investigate, issue citations, and file civil actions, and public prosecutors may also enforce the Act.  Civil penalties are up to $500 per employee per violation and, for violation of the arrest/detention notification provisions, up to $500 per employee per day, capped at $10,000 per employee. Courts may award injunctive relief, punitive damages, and reasonable attorneys' fees. Local ordinances may provide greater protection.

Take Aways:

New Labor Code sections 1550 - 1554 expand  "know your rights" from a poster-wall concept into a recurring, trackable employer obligation tied to meaningful penalties. Best practices include:

• Calendar the deadlines: Pull the state template, available by Jan. 1, 2026; deliver your first annual notice by Feb. 1, 2026; and roll out emergency-contact designations to existing staff by March 30, 2026;
• Determine delivery method: Choose email, text, or personal service that reliably reaches employees within one business day; create a three-year recordkeeping process capturing send/provide dates;
• Include multilingual distribution: Plan to use the Labor Commissioner's language versions and match the language you typically use for employment communications; and
• Update onboarding and policies: Add the notice and emergency-contact options to new-hire packets; train HR, managers and security on law-enforcement interactions and the non-retaliation rules.

For further information, please contact Tim Bowles, Cindy Bamforth or Helena Kobrin.

See also:

• ICE Capades - Immigration Enforcement in the California Workplace (March 28, 2025)
• Stay in Your Lane, Driver's License Discrimination (December 5, 2024)
• Hiring Authorized Workers - I-9 Forms Best Practices (July 5, 2024)

Tim Bowles
October 24, 2025

Celebrate Halloween Safely at Work

A well-planned Halloween celebration can boost morale and build teamwork. Without clear boundaries though, it can lead to uncomfortable or even risky situations under California's strict workplace laws. Here's how to keep it festive and compliant.

DOs:

• Do choose activities that align with comfort levels and workplace norms. Some companies thrive on costume contests; others prefer a casual luncheon or themed treat day.

• Do make participation voluntary. Not everyone celebrates Halloween. Allow employees to opt out without pressure or judgment.

• Do set clear costume guidelines in advance. Provide examples of what's acceptable and what's not, e.g., avoid costumes that are revealing, culturally insensitive, or otherwise inappropriate for work. Circulate these rules early.

• Do encourage appropriate fun. Team-building games, contests, and decorations can create engagement without crossing lines.

• Do step in when necessary. If someone's behavior or costume violates policy, address it swiftly and respectfully -- even if that means sending them home to change.

DON'Ts:

• Don't let management get too relaxed. Supervisors must model professional conduct.

• Don't ignore teasing or discomfort. If an employee feels harassed or mocked, HR must respond promptly. "It's just a joke" isn't a defense under California's harassment laws.

• Don't allow employees to impersonate co-workers. Dressing up as a colleague, even in fun, can easily cross a line and lead to complaints or claims.

• Don't serve alcohol. A single drink can lead to problems and potential liability. Keep it fun, safe, and professional.

Take-Aways:

With thoughtful planning and clear expectations, Halloween can be a workplace treat -- not a legal trick.

For further information, please contact Tim Bowles, Cindy Bamforth or Helena Kobrin.

See also:

• Chill Pill Protocol - Mandatory Sexual Harassment Prevention Training (August 1, 2025)

Cindy Bamforth
October 16, 2025

Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation Claims

California is among the nation's leaders in the range of characteristics protected from workplace discrimination and harassment, including ● race, ● color, ● ancestry, ● national origin, ● religious creed and practice, ● age (40 and over), ● mental and physical disabilities, ● sex, ● gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), ● gender orientation, ● gender identity, ● gender expression, ● medical condition, ● genetic information, ● reproductive health decision-making, ● marital status, and ● military or veteran status.

A business may not base an employment decision - e.g., hiring, wage rate, advancement opportunity, discipline or termination - on any of these categories. Rather, proper personnel management stems from worker training, ability and productivity.

An employer must also refrain from creating or condoning a work environment hostile to any of these classes, e.g., unwelcome sexual advances or racial slurs. Proper personnel management promotes worker respect, decorum and positive collaboration. See, e.g., the California Civil Rights Department's Harassment Prevention Guide

While experienced management may well appreciate these legal hazards, an enterprise may yet find itself in litigation for retaliation, i.e., fumbling a discrimination or harassment complaint by failing to adequately document its investigation and resolution and the non-discriminatory, business-based reasons for any subsequent discipline or termination.

Take-Aways:

On report that any worker, supervisor, associated independent contractor, or, in some instances, a customer has engaged in such discrimination or harassment against an employee, management must investigate fully, keeping written reports of findings and any resulting - and appropriate - performance improvement plan and/or discipline for documented offenders. To help head off retaliation claims, managers must also take care to document the basis for any following adverse employment action against the complaining individual or anyone else.

For further information, please contact Tim Bowles, Cindy Bamforth or Helena Kobrin.

See also:

• Staffing Agency Meltdown: Discrimination Settlement Shuts Down National Firm(April 12, 2024)
• Religious Ruling Favors Employees: Supreme Court Requires Accommodation Unless Substantial Cost Burden (September 1, 2023)
• Do Something: EEOC Sues Convenience Stores Owner for Condoning Sexual Harassment (March 4, 2022)

Tim Bowles
October 3, 2025